Is everyone able to fit all cables into the rigging tube?

[RickK]

Hook the positive to the common post on the switch, where you have the motor positive.

[Capt. Bob]

Hook the positive to the common post on the switch, where you have the motor positive.

Bingo.
With the switch in the Off position, no power is transmitted to either the motor or the panel. One of SB4's wiring schematics show this.

Therefore power will flow to both motor and panel when you switch to either position1, 2 or Both.

The Resource forum is your friend.
viewtopic.php?p=34004#p34004

There are several diagrams so don't get overwhelmed but but by simply attaching your panel positive lead to the common post on your switch will be the easiest way to accomplish your goal. Remember to fuse that positive lead to your panel close to the common post to protect the main panel.

Good luck.

[BTF112989]

Thanks for that link.  It was helpful to see those battery switch diagrams.  

So if I attach my switch panel wiring to the common post on the battery switch, all power will be cut off to it in the "OFF" position, but power will still be provided if the battery switch is in the 1 or 2 or both positions?  Is there anyway to isolate the power given to the switch panel to only times when the battery switch is on the "BOTH" or "#2" selection?  Meaning if I have it on the "#1" selection, the switch panel accessories won't come on.  Looking at this again, I don't see why you would never want your radio or other accessories to work in the #1 position, but is it possible to do this?

How do all of yall have you battery switches connected if you have the motors leads & a common switch panel main wire?  I'm guessing you guys have the switch panel wired onto the common post on the battery switch with your motor.  Do yall wire the bilge pump float switch directly to the battery or into the switch?

Thanks,
Ben

[Capt. Bob]

Just about anything is possible but why is the question. Still, I believe SB has a gram that shows an additional switch.
You could use a switch between the battery and the panel. Connect your panel feed to the house battery like you did at first and add a switch in that line (smaller switches are available). That way, you can turn your panel on and off whenever and how much you like.

So you know, my setup is what was proposed by Rick and reflected on Bobs diagrams for a simple system. It's been working that way since 86 when I first went to dual batteries. I'm a day boater but I have spent overnight on my boats in the past. Seems to work just fine. I don't have my bilge pumps wired directly to my batteries because the boat resides on a trailer. I do have a computer monitored pump in the stern and a float switch monitored in the bow. They're on because my panel is always hot when the battery switch is in any position but Off.

Good luck.

[seabob4]

Here is how I have the Cape Horn set up...



The black batt switch is the port motor.  The red, the starboard.  The single on/off is for the house.  The house batt is combined with the starboard batt via the Yandina 100 combiner/isolater you see to the left of the switches, the small rectangular box.  With the starboard motor running, and the output voltage of the alternator sufficient, the Yandina automatically combines the 2 batts so the house batt get charged. Shut down the starboard motor, the 2 batts are isolated.  The reason the starboard batt is chosen is that when most twin engine boats troll, they shut down the port motor and troll only on the starboard.

The down side to this setup is that one cannot parallel the house batt with either the starboard or port batts through the switches.  However, a simple positive jumper takes care of that.  The up side of this is that both motors are COMPLETELY isolated from any houseloads while shut down.  Your electronics or whatever could completely drain the house batt, yet the engine batts will be fine. And if you are on the hook with both motors shut down, and all of the sudden the MFD throws a low voltage alarm, simply fire up the starbnoard motor, the Yandina combines the batts, and your back in business...

The owner will be using a SERIOUS group 27 Deep Cycle for the house batt.  He'd have to run a lot of stuff a long time to bring that batt down to where it needs the other batt to give it a boost...

[BTF112989]

I went ahead & just put the switch panel positive line on the common post of the battery switch.  That does make the most sense now that I have used the boat a little bit more.

Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks to everybody who helped me out with my constant questions & those who helped me source parts/donated parts to the cause!  I was able to put 6 hours on the boat over the past week, which is pretty good for January in Tennessee.  Although there were some days when the temp was 35 degrees with 20-30 mph winds, we did get about 3 days where the temperature was 60+ degrees!  I love the boat a little more each time I drive it around.  Now, I just can't wait until mid-March when I get to pull it down to Bonita Springs, FL for a little vacation time.  Until then, this is the best I can do...



-Ben

[Blue Agave]

I like that drink holder, where did you get it?

[Capt Matt]

Looks like Edson?
Capt Matt

[BTF112989]

It came with the boat when I bought it, but I think it is an edson. I like the simple design of it & the fact that it holds pretty much any size drink. Here is an edson one that is very similar: http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|406|319789&id=1165932

[seabob4]

Ben, see you have a Clarion head unit there, one of my favorites, as it is very easy to use, and damn near waterproof!

[BTF112989]

The clarion cmd4 that came with the boat(the one I asked about awhile ago) was damn near waterproof until about 5" of rain fell in knoxville one weekend with no cover on the boat.  The display fogged up & everything.  

I just ordered the cmd7 in the picture last week.  I absolutely love the usb connection cord & ipod interface!  I can leave my ipod in my boat bag the whole time & control every feature of the ipod from the head unit!  I didn't buy the cmd6(with the stainless steel chassis), since I live in Tennessee & I don't need that little bit of extra output.  Its amazing the difference between this stereo's output & the cheap Dual head unit I had in there for a little while.

I would highly recommend it!

I have one other question.  I hooked my gas gauge up & it was showing a full tank.  I have a 28 gallon tank in the boat & after putting about 7-8 hours on the engine at various speeds( alot of time at 4000 rpms), shouldn't I see a drop on the gas gauge?  It still reads full or very near full.  When I put the boat on the trailer & it is facing downhill, the gauge reads 3/4 of a tank.  However it doesn't seem to move otherwise.  Whenever I cut power to the gauge, the needle falls all the way to empty, then back up to full when I turn power on to it.  So, I think the gauge is working properly.  Is something wrong with my gauge/sender, or is my HPDI just that fuel efficient?  It is January, so I can't run the boat as much as I would like to in order to investigate the gauge further.  

-Ben

[seabob4]

Ben,
Not to read back through the whole thread (I'm lazy, what can I say!), but have you ever messed with the sender?  If it's not to hard to access, pull the sender and move the float through it's entire range while observing the fuel gauge (key on).  There's also the possibility the float may be stuck.  Gauges don't usually fail, senders fail all the time...

[BTF112989]

Seabob,
I have not messed with the sender at all. I'm guessing the float may be stuck, since there is a little bit of movement in its range from full to 3/4. I have an access plate right over the sender. I can't remember how the sender is fastened into the tank with. Is it just glued into the tank with sealant, or are there some bolts to undo? I don't think the access plate is exactly over the sender, so it could take some work to get it out. Any chance I screwed up making the gauge connections, eventhough it is registering on the gauge? I think moving the float through its range may be just what I need to do!

-Ben

[Blue Agave]

Fill her up and see how many gallons she takes, that will give you an indication on if the sender is stuck or not. I don't believe you have made an error on hooking up the gauge.

[seabob4]

One does have to be careful when wiring a fuel gauge.  The posts are labeled "S", "I", and "G".  NEVER confuse S (sender) and I (12v+).  If 12V+ is hooked to the S post, it will basically fry the sender...

The sender should be bolted to the tank with either 5 or 6 bolts.  Remove the bolts (don't lose them!), and lift and tilt the sender however you need to get it out.  Move the float up and down as described before, also see if it has a tendency to hang up at about the 3/4 full level.  Several good shots of PB Blaster should take care of that...